Mendiola Protests in Manila - at home today

I've got the day off work today. I started going to work when I received a text message from our in-country manager warning about going anywhere near Mendiola (street). Well I walk down Mendiola every day to get to work so while I was happy to go to work, I had heard my workmates talk about getting stuck at work sometimes when there are protests. Plus there had been heaps of police at the Mendiola gate this week (like at least 50 with batons and shield things) which is kind of a little disturbing . . . anyway, then my boss rang and said it would be better to stay at home and needless to say I didn't argue.
I walk down this street everyday to get to work. It has to be the quietest street in Manila. Why? To the left is Malacanang Palace, the residence and operations of the Philippines President. And at either end are guard posts that only allow certain vehicles to pass through.

This is a picture of the guard posts. If you look closely you may be able to see their huge guns. They are friendly though, they always say 'Morning Maam' when I walk by. This is actually the end of Mendiola.
This is a picture of the middle of Mendiola. Just behind is where all the police have been stationed and where some of the protests are held. You can see just some of the traffic - that's a jeep in the foreground next to an FX (a 4WD that is like a shared taxi). You can see the rails to the LRT train that I take home.

On a different note, I am reading some pretty interesting things at the moment:

• still going with 'The End of Poverty'. I quite like Sachsy.
• Started reading the Commission for Africa's 'Our Common Interest'. It's an easy, interesting short read about looking at Africa's development problems. Did you know that the developed world spends the same amount on agricultural subsidies in one year for it's own produce than the total annual income of all people living in sub-Saharan Africa? That is crazy stuff. Commission for Africa
• I also have started Francis Fukuyama's newbie 'State-Building: Governance and World Order in the 21st Century'. He's still a bit right wing for my liking (hee hee) but I guess what do you expect with a title like that?
• John Le Carre - 'A Perfect Spy'. I have to admit I haven't gotten into it as much as the Constant Gardner yet. But I'm only a few chapters in so far.
  

posted by batik billy @ 10:48 am